The first five people to be inducted into the ANDRA Hall of Fame were honoured on Monday night at the ANDRA Championship Dinner presented by Aeroflow Performance Products.
Mick Atholwood (award accepted by Diane and Michael Atholwood), George Bailey, Graeme Cowin, Paul Rogers and Dennis Syrmis (award accepted by Sue Syrmis) were all recognised with white gold rings designed by Wallace Bishop Jewellers and life membership to ANDRA.
The first inductees were chosen by the ANDRA Board to represent a cross section of the different ways in which people can contribute to ANDRA.
Each acceptance speech was highly emotional, with the significance of the ANDRA Hall of Fame’s first inductions not lost on the 160-strong audience.
The national champions for each ANDRA category in the ANDRA Drag Racing Series and Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship were also recognised including Darren Morgan (Top Fuel), Gary Phillips (Top Alcohol), John Zappia (Top Doorslammer), Jason Grima (Pro Stock), Chris Porter (Top Bike), Luke Crowley (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Greg Clayton (Competition), Darren Parker (Super Stock), Corey Buttigieg (Competition Bike), Rod Harvey (Super Compact), Luke Marsden (Supercharged Outlaws) who also won the John Storm Memorial Trophy for most points scored in a season, Craig Baker (Modified), Johnny Kapiris (Super Sedan), Gavin Dohnt (Modified Bike), Carl Taylor (Super Street), Brayden Naylor (Junior Dragster) and Matt Forbes (Super Gas).